Buying Christmas Presents on a Budget

Monday

Dec 17, 2012 at 5:16 PM

Buying Christmas Presents on a Budget written by Guest Author for BillCutterz Money Saving Blog.

Christmas is slowly creeping in and in most cases it has to do with a lot of expenses. A ton of money spent for decoration, the holiday dinner and especially on presents. People tend to waste a huge amount of money on presents without even giving it much of a thought how to please the people they care for while NOT breaking the family bank. Unfortunately, Christmas is becoming more and more commercialized, even though the very purpose of the holiday is not about who will give and receive the most expensive gift. So, for the upcoming holy day, reconsider your priorities and gift-buying techniques. Here are some advices on how to have a nice Christmas without going bust.

First of all, buy gifts for fewer people

Without a doubt, you would like to give a present to everybody you know, but after all you are neither Santa Claus, nor Bill Gates, so you will need to give it at least a bit of a thought on whom to give joy to. Giving gifts is voluntary, not obligatory, so there is no need to buy distant relatives you have not seen for a couple of years a tacky gift just for the sake of it. This has nothing to do with stinginess but with practicality. Do not be mendacious, give only to those you truly care for.

Develop a budget

‘Study’ your overall family budget, decide how much the total ‘Christmas money’ are and set aside a certain sum, designated simply for presents. From that point onwards, decide (make a memo) the maximum amount of money you are to spend on whoever is on your Christmas list. Needless to say, your spouse is to receive a bigger/more expensive gift than your neighbor, for example. Having determined the sum of money that is to be spent on presents, the chance of you going bust is minimal.

Shop solo!

Having a companion is the biggest distraction one can have while shopping. Keep your eyes ‘on the prize’ and let nobody change your mind about what you have already decided on. The advantage of Christmas gift shopping alone is the same as with grocery shopping – you go in and out of the store without a single surprise purchase.

When possible, buy online

It is believed to be the most cost-efficient way of shopping. No driving around wasting car fuel, no waiting in line in lengthy queues. Plus, there are websites that offer prices which you can’t find at any actual store. And do not worry about shipping. Many online shops offer free shipping.

Do not throw huge parties

The people that do so, mainly do it in order not to let everybody down. Again, Christmas is all about getting together, being with each other, regardless of what the food and beverages are. After all, people are more likely to remember the good time they had, the pleasant conversations rather than what was there in their plates and glasses.

Do not pass the chance to take advantage of the free gift wrapping many retailers offer. Pretty much throughout the whole December, a lot of stores give you the opportunity to wrap your purchasing for free if it is bought as a gift. So, this is one less thing you need to think about.

Choose thoughtful, original gifts instead of cliched expensive ones

Go DIY and invest time rather than money in the gifts you are about to give. This will guarantee that they are custom made for the people you are giving them to. Everybody can go out and buy something already made, while the aforementioned option displays care and affection.

Seek out coupons, discounts and sales

This is one of the surest and simplest ways of saving money during the Christmas holidays. This means fervently being on the lookout, but be assured that in the end it will all prove to have been worth it.

And remember, the spirit of Christmas is not about spending lots of money. It’s about who we spend the holidays with and showing them they mean a lot to us, not necessarily with expensive presents.

Grace is a passionate writer, dreamer and adventurer. She enjoys writing about various interesting and exotic places and people. You can read more at http://londonremovals.co.uk.

The post Buying Christmas Presents on a Budget appeared first on BillCutterz Money Saving Blog.

Guest Author

Buying Christmas Presents on a Budget written by Guest Author for BillCutterz Money Saving Blog.

Christmas is slowly creeping in and in most cases it has to do with a lot of expenses. A ton of money spent for decoration, the holiday dinner and especially on presents. People tend to waste a huge amount of money on presents without even giving it much of a thought how to please the people they care for while NOT breaking the family bank. Unfortunately, Christmas is becoming more and more commercialized, even though the very purpose of the holiday is not about who will give and receive the most expensive gift. So, for the upcoming holy day, reconsider your priorities and gift-buying techniques. Here are some advices on how to have a nice Christmas without going bust.

First of all, buy gifts for fewer people

Without a doubt, you would like to give a present to everybody you know, but after all you are neither Santa Claus, nor Bill Gates, so you will need to give it at least a bit of a thought on whom to give joy to. Giving gifts is voluntary, not obligatory, so there is no need to buy distant relatives you have not seen for a couple of years a tacky gift just for the sake of it. This has nothing to do with stinginess but with practicality. Do not be mendacious, give only to those you truly care for.

Develop a budget

‘Study’ your overall family budget, decide how much the total ‘Christmas money’ are and set aside a certain sum, designated simply for presents. From that point onwards, decide (make a memo) the maximum amount of money you are to spend on whoever is on your Christmas list. Needless to say, your spouse is to receive a bigger/more expensive gift than your neighbor, for example. Having determined the sum of money that is to be spent on presents, the chance of you going bust is minimal.

Shop solo!

Having a companion is the biggest distraction one can have while shopping. Keep your eyes ‘on the prize’ and let nobody change your mind about what you have already decided on. The advantage of Christmas gift shopping alone is the same as with grocery shopping – you go in and out of the store without a single surprise purchase.

When possible, buy online

It is believed to be the most cost-efficient way of shopping. No driving around wasting car fuel, no waiting in line in lengthy queues. Plus, there are websites that offer prices which you can’t find at any actual store. And do not worry about shipping. Many online shops offer free shipping.

Do not throw huge parties

The people that do so, mainly do it in order not to let everybody down. Again, Christmas is all about getting together, being with each other, regardless of what the food and beverages are. After all, people are more likely to remember the good time they had, the pleasant conversations rather than what was there in their plates and glasses.
Do not pass the chance to take advantage of the free gift wrapping many retailers offer. Pretty much throughout the whole December, a lot of stores give you the opportunity to wrap your purchasing for free if it is bought as a gift. So, this is one less thing you need to think about.

Choose thoughtful, original gifts instead of cliched expensive ones

Go DIY and invest time rather than money in the gifts you are about to give. This will guarantee that they are custom made for the people you are giving them to. Everybody can go out and buy something already made, while the aforementioned option displays care and affection.

Seek out coupons, discounts and sales

This is one of the surest and simplest ways of saving money during the Christmas holidays. This means fervently being on the lookout, but be assured that in the end it will all prove to have been worth it.
And remember, the spirit of Christmas is not about spending lots of money. It’s about who we spend the holidays with and showing them they mean a lot to us, not necessarily with expensive presents.

Grace is a passionate writer, dreamer and adventurer. She enjoys writing about various interesting and exotic places and people. You can read more at http://londonremovals.co.uk.

The post Buying Christmas Presents on a Budget appeared first on BillCutterz Money Saving Blog.